I've fought with my weight for my entire adult life, and I can tell you that 5 lbs a week is way too much. It's fine for a week or two, but after that 2 lbs a week is what you should shoot for. In fact, groups like Weght Watchers will kick you out if you lose more than 4 lbs a week.

Think of it this way, losing 50 lbs at 2 lbs a week is only 25 weeks. That's only 6 months. Dude, you'd be looking slim for the new year, and you'd be healther too!

While I agree with most of what has been said, I think that the best thing about Lucas writing and directing Star Wars is that he doesn't belive his own hype.

Any other writer working on the prequels might have approached them with a high-minded pretentiousness that would have been terrible for the flicks. Regardless of what one thinks about the prequels, they are not pretentious. I like that Lucas doesn't take the CONTENT of the films so seriously.

Hey guys, thanks for the interest. Yes, the books are available at Barnes and Noble, but not always in stock,

Actually, I have been lucky to make a living doing this. Because I'm a writer and an illustartor, I can do 2 or 3 books a year. I also do education illustration work, and I do school visits. It's a tough business, but I've managed to hang on for almost 10 years now.

My familly knows all about my SW collecting disease, but my in-laws are somewhat clueless. In our new house, I have very little display room, so there's only a few shelves of stuff in my office/studio. The thing is, they couldn't tell Darth Vader from Darth Maul. They few times they've commented on the stuff I say "Oh..I've had it since I was a kid."

My wife totally supports my collecting, and encourages me to find ways to display more of it, but, in a way, I am nervous about her family seeing walls of stuff. They're great in-laws, and I couldn't be luckier, but they are very "sensible" and an adult collecting toys might rub them the wrong way.

I was reading the "Swami" over at another site, and he said that the VOTC will come back next year. While I'm gald we may be getting some great new sculpts, what I'd really like to see is figures not released by Kenner.

I would love to see a VOTC style Tarkin , on a brand new, old style card. He was one figure we always dreamed of a kids. I think that the Sandtrooper, or the Rebel Fleet Trooper would be great additions too.

I'd also love to see some prequel charcters in the mix. I SA Qui-Gon on a vinatge style card would be lots of fun.